Page 37 of Callahan

Brian hugged her around her shoulders. “I appreciate it, too. I’m sorry I called you mom.”

Lainey dropped her head to lean against Brian’s shoulder for a second. “You’re forgiven. I’ll try to quit mothering you.”

“Don’t. I know you’re just looking out for me.”

She nodded. “I am.” Glancing my way, she asked, “So, since you’re getting set up in Brian’s guest room, does that mean you’re staying a while?”

“At least for a couple of days. Dr. Williams thinks it would be best if I didn’t travel until I’ve healed.”

Brian interjected. “Angus offered him a job.”

She turned to me with wide eyes. “You’re going to be a Haven Springs cop?”

I watched her expression carefully when I replied, “I’m still thinking about it. But the Chief said I could start as soon as the doc clears me.”

“How long should that be?”

Was there excitement in her eyes?

“Maybe a week. But I haven’t decided what I’m going to do. My family is expecting me in Massachusetts. My brother has a job waiting for me with his construction company.”

“Oh.”

Her disappointment wasn’t just my imagination, and I kind of liked she wanted me to stay.

Me sticking around hadbad ideawritten all over it in big neon letters flanked with waving red flags to drive the point home.

“I think my parents would be pretty upset with me if I didn’t come back to Lancastle.”

“Of course,” she said with a tight smile. “I’m sure they miss you.” Her fake smile morphed into a genuine one when she proclaimed, “But at least we get to have you around for a few more days! Let me get you guys something yummy to tide you over until you have your dinner!”

She disappeared behind the counter and Brian took the chair opposite me as we watched her carefully select baked goods from behind the glass display shelves.

“Did I ever tell you how Shawn and I ended up becoming best friends?”

Oh boy. I already knew where this was going.

I shook my head, and he continued without any further prompting from me.

“We met in kindergarten. The first day we had to line up alphabetically, and we were right next to each other. It didn’t take long for us to realize his first name wasShawnand my last name was O’Shaughnessy, and my name wasBrianand his last name was O’Brien. We were convinced that being best friends was basically out of our hands. The gods had spoken. We decided right there in Mrs. Kanitz’s kindergarten class wewould be best friends for life.” He continued watching Lainey, while I watched him. “And we were all through middle and high school, and even college. We talked about how we’d raise our kids together and be each other’s best man in our weddings…”

“Then he was killed,” I supplied softly.

He finally looked at me, tears in his eyes, and nodded once. “Then he was killed, and those dreams of living next door to each other, and coaching our kids’ Little League teams together, and borrowing each other’s garden tools until we were old men were just gone. In an instant.”

“I know. I’m so sorry.”

I wondered if he knew I was the reason Shawn was dead, and that was the point of his story.

Then he continued, and it all made sense. “But he left his legacy with Conor, and by extension, Lainey. And I will protect her and that little guy with my life. Like I know Shawn would want me to.”

I hear you loud and clear, O’Shaughnessy.

“I will, too. Granted, it will have to be from Lancastle, or wherever I end up, so the burden will be more on you. But if you or they ever need me, I’ll come running.”

“That’s good to know. But it sounds like you’re not going to take the job, and that’s a little disappointing.”

Really? Cuz I was under the impression that’s exactly what you were aiming for. Me to stay the fuck away from Lainey and Conor.

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